Whatever Remains
by L0kabrenna
Summary: Loki is having a hard time settling into life on Earth after he escapes his punishment for the Chitauri attack on New York. It doesn't take long for things to get shaken up again, as his past comes back to haunt him, and not everything is as they seem.
1. Chapter 1

The sun hadn't risen yet as Loki walked down the wet street, hands in his pockets, hair dripping from the downpour. Since his exile to Helheim, and his eventual escape, he'd decided to lay low in Midgard while things settled down. This realm was the last place they would look for him after what he did to it. He'd taken quite the beating while escaping his daughter's realm; and though it was over a month ago, his muscles still screamed at him as the freezing rain seeped through his clothes. He trudged along, grumbling to himself about the poor quality of Midgardian clothing.

Not long after he'd returned to the mortal Realm, Loki had convinced a young woman to let him stay with her temporarily. Ivy had approached him in a coffee shop a few weeks ago, asking if he really was who he looked like. After he warily confirmed his identity, she joined him and listened to his sob story. As he spoke, her eyes had gotten wide with anticipation; she gasped at the appropriate parts. She had even teared up once or twice. When he'd finished telling her everything, she seemed to be sympathetic to his plight, and agreed to let him stay. He had no idea why he had told this stranger everything; he just felt the compulsion. She could have been a plant from S.H.I.E.L.D., or have been planning to give him up, but at that point, he didn't care. It had been so long since he'd been around someone he wasn't fighting, he just spilled his guts. In the case that she really was working against him, he knew that treacherous mortals were easily dealt with, anyway.

He reached the abode and slunk up the steps of the run-of-the-mill Craftsman. The place was cozy; a nice change from the sometimes anxiety-inducing vastness of his last few 'homes'. Sure, he liked his space and freedom, but living so long in Odin's palace, and then the abyss that led him to the Chitauri and their place in the cosmos… Too much open space had begun to make him feel vulnerable. The small house suited him just fine.

He went inside and immediately sank into the couch, still sopping wet. His new roommate would yell at him for soaking the furniture, but he secretly found it hilarious when she got frustrated with him. Her face always got bright red, her eyes wide with exasperation. Eventually, she'd get to the point where she ran out of words and just calmly walked away. It didn't happen often, but apparently living with the God of Mischief wasn't easy for a mortal.

When the nightmares haunted him, Loki would amble around the neighborhood until he couldn't stay awake anymore. This happened most nights. He dreamt of murdering Laufey to save Odin, the man who had crushed his soul in the first place. He dreamt of the the emptiness he felt as he fell from the wreckage of the BiFrost, being lost between the branches of Yggdrasil, and eventually being scooped up by the Chitauri however many months later. At first, they had been kind. They gave him shelter and food; whatever he needed. He listened as the Other began talking about the Tesseract and the powers it held. They wanted it. For what, Loki didn't know. They promised him freedom and a return to normalcy if he would venture to Earth and claim it for them. He was skeptical of their claims, and declined the offer. That was when he became a prisoner to his former saviors; that was when the torture started. They beat him mercilessly – to the brink of death before letting him recover and doing it again. They filled his mind with images of his loved ones being tortured and killed, sometimes at his own hand. This went on until they finally tired of their game and used what little connection they had to the Tesseract to take control of him. It wasn't full control, however, but they kept him in check by reminding him that worse was in store if he failed his mission.

The sound of footsteps lumbering down the stairs caused him to wake with a start. "Oh, god, stop!" He'd fallen asleep to the disturbing memories. Ivy leaned over the back of the couch and gazed at him. "Stop what? You know, you should really stop sleeping on this thing. It'll give you back problems." She paused for a moment and furrowed her brow at him. "Wait, do gods even get back problems?" She shook her head as she walked into the kitchen. She'd often ask him questions like that, but they were usually deeper. Real 'what is the meaning of life' types of questions. His presence here sometimes caused her little existential crises.

As he peeled himself from the cushions, he groaned. Yes, gods could get back aches. In fact, he ached all over. Even his skin hurt. Without a word to her, he made his way to the bathroom. Sleeping in rain-soaked clothes had turned him into a mess. He started the shower and disrobed as the water heated, examining himself in the mirror. Christ, did he look awful. His cheeks were hollow, his complexion a sickly pale. The dark circles under his eyes had come back, as well. He looked like walking death. It was a surprise that he was allowed in public like this; surely he had scared some children at one time or another. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"God damn it, Loki!" Ivy screamed at him from the living room. She must have been on the couch. He cracked the door open and called to her. "Sorry!"

"No, you're not! You always do this! Why do you insist…" She went silent. He chuckled as he replied. "You're right, I'm not!" Midgard didn't hold much room for grand mischief making, nor did his position, but he'd take what little he could get. Part of him felt bad about messing with the kind woman who had taken him in, but she knew what she was getting herself into from the beginning.

As thick steam began to pour from the shower, he stepped in. The near-scalding water cascaded over him, immediately soothing his aching muscles. He softly groaned in relief as it washed through his hair, and for several minutes, he just stood under the stream in an attempt to fully relax. It never really worked, but he had to try. He often wondered why, how after all this time, he was still so disturbed by his most recent hardships. He'd been through worse, hell; he'd been tied to a rock with his son's entrails under an acid-spitting snake for a century. That had been punishment, though. It hadn't been a personal attack. Ivy had explained that she thought he had something called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Before then, he wasn't even aware that something like that could afflict a god, but with the way she described it, it sounded about right.

Eventually, he washed. He looked around the small shower space for some shampoo and spotted the bottle Ivy had made for him. It was spearmint scented and he loved it. It reminded him of his childhood in Asgard when he and Thor would pick the leaves from Frigga's garden. He smiled at the memory as he worked up a rich lather in his hair, not wanting to have to eventually rinse it out. After he did so, he began methodically scrubbing at his skin. Sometimes, just as now, he became obsessive about it. It was as if he couldn't get the stink of the Chitauri off of him. There had been numerous occasions where he had scrubbed himself raw and had to try to heal himself. Healing magic wasn't his strong suit. This time, he managed to avoid going overboard, and hopped out of the shower before he could continue and cause damage.

He wrapped a towel around his hips and headed for his room. As he passed the living room, he saw Ivy blotting the couch cushions with paper towel as if it would help anything. With a small smile, he waved his hand toward the couch and it was instantly dried. She looked up to thank him, but he was already headed up the stairs. His chamber here was simple – he couldn't get enough simplicity these days. The room only contained a bed, side table with a lamp, and a mirrored armoire. No artwork adorned the walls, and he kept no personal possessions in Midgard. Loki wasn't one for sentiment.

He quickly dressed, hardly paying attention to what he put on. He looked himself over in the mirror and saw a slight improvement as some color had returned to his face. When he returned to the living room, he found Ivy sitting on the couch. She watched the news as she had her morning cigarette and sipped at her coffee. He joined her, lightly plucking her cigarette from between her fingers and taking a drag as he eyed the television screen. She looked at him with raised brows. "Since when do you smoke?" He simply glanced at her and shrugged, returning it to her. "Uh, thanks…" She gestured toward the T.V. "Did you hear about this?" There had been another attack, this time in Chicago. Some nut-ball with delusions of grandeur had made a mess of the city. The news showed clips of Iron Man and Captain America in a standoff with the maniac. Loki chuckled lightly and gave her a faux bright-smile. "Well, I didn't do it."

Ivy sighed lightly and looked at him. "Does it bother you?" He turned his attention to her again. "Does what bother me?" She pursed her lips, not wanting to upset him by getting too personal about something that obviously did sometimes. "This… Seeing them saving the day again. They didn't exactly just give you a slap on the wrist." He thought for a moment, also sighing before he spoke, shaking his head as he did so. "No, not really. Sure, it reminds me of the whole Tesseract business, but I hold no grudges or ill-will. They were only doing what they had to do to protect what they love. Had our positions been reversed, I'd have done the same thing." As the Hulk appeared on the screen, smashing the villain into a steel building, Loki cringed, remembering how he'd been tossed around like a rag-doll and embedded into a marble floor. Even he admitted that he'd had it coming since he had led an alien army into a battle against the Realm, killing many people, and regrettably, Agent Coulson . He'd never admit to it, but he had admired the way the mortal man had stood up to him on the helli-carrier that day. Coulson had been a fine soldier.

Ivy stood and stretched before moving to return her mug to the kitchen. Loki followed her, intending to make some tea for himself. As he rummaged through the cupboards for his favorite mug, Ivy turned to him, leaning against the sink. "So, what's on your agenda for the day?" He found the mug and turned to her. "I'm not really sure. I don't have many options since I'm supposed to be in hiding." He raised a brow at her and began going through the large collection of teabags, not knowing what he was in the mood for. Ivy sounded concerned as she spoke to him. "I think you should get out of the house today. While the sun is up. Sure, you're in hiding, but you seem so lonely, Loki. I think it would be good for you." He gave her a tight smile. "Need I remind you that I'm not exactly welcome in this Realm? And mingling with mortals… Yeesh!" She looked at him and frowned. "Well, you seem to manage with me just fine. I'm banning you from the house today. Go out; do something." Loki nodded in defeat and pursed his lips, trying to think of what he'd busy himself with. He didn't find many things on Earth to be entertaining, but he'd have to manage.


	2. Chapter 2

Loki smiled and lightly nudged Ivy out from in front of the sink. He rinsed out the green mug and filled it with hot water, using his magic to make it suitable for steeping tea. He flicked his wet fingers at her, sprinkling her with drops of water. She flinched and looked at him flatly. As he dunked the teabag in his mug, he gazed over at her. "I suppose I could visit a museum or something. They do hold a certain charm…" He had helped create Midgard and he knew its history well, but their interpretation of it never failed to amuse him. The things mortals got wrong about themselves were astounding. The other pantheons also interested him. Like his, the gods had created the mortals, who in turn had created them. As far as he knew, there wasn't a being in the realms who truly understood how this worked.

Ivy looked at him, surprise coloring her face. "Suddenly taking an interest in human history, are we?" It shouldn't have come as a surprise; she often walked in on him watching one historical show or another. Having already explained his fascination with the pantheons to her, he simply looked at her with a raised brow. Once his tea was done steeping, he threw the bag out and cautiously sipped it, making a face afterward. He could never seem to get it just right, but would have to settle with the unsatisfactory results. "I should be back by the time you get home. If not, well, I_ have_ been banned." He shrugged as he gave her a small smile.

Once Ivy had left for work, Loki wasn't sure of what to do with himself. He suddenly regretted agreeing to go out, but she had banned him from the house. An invisible force seemed to shove him through the door. Ivy hadn't realized it, but her jokingly banning him had, in fact, actually done so. Once on the sidewalk in front of the residence, he turned back and looked at it pathetically. "Really? I don't think this is necessary at all!" He stood there, reasoning with a house. He shook his head and followed the path he had taken the night before. Eventually, he made his way to the heart of the city. He wandered around for a while before winding up at the museum. He peered around at the mortals as he trotted up the massive staircase. Nobody seemed to notice him. Good.

He started out in the small Aztec exhibit and slowly meandered his way through, moving on to the other pantheons. He read each plaque and examined every artifact as he moved along. When it came to the newer pantheons, the mortals got most of it right, with only inconsequential discrepancies here and there. Having skipped the Norse exhibit, he doubled back to it. He stood for a long while and gazed at the enormous statue of himself. They had made him look much more intimidating than he was in reality, and he was okay with that.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of red. His heart beat a little faster. There was only one thing in all the Realms with that specific shade of red. He would know, he'd designed it himself. As his breath became shaky, he turned his head in the direction of the movement. There was Thor, signing autographs and taking pictures with people. There were an infinite number of places The Thunderer could have gone, and of course, he chose the first place Loki had decided was safe enough to visit. He should have been dealing with the aftermath of the attack on Chicago, but oh, no, The Mighty Thor was too good for that. He needed to schmooze with his public and remind himself of his eternal adoration. Loki had never met anyone as vain as Thor; it disgusted him.

After a moment, he shook himself free of his initial shock and moved into a group of tourists. While he tried to blend in, he kept an eye on Thor. Maybe he hadn't been noticed. Surely Thor would have clamored up to him and made a big scene, completely stripping Loki of his anonymity. He was loath to have him leave his line of sight, so as this group moved on, he moved into the next. All of a sudden, as this new gaggle of mortals moved on, the exhibit room was nearly empty. Sure, Loki could have shrouded himself, but that would have taken enough energy for him to pop up on S.H.I.E.L.D.'s radar. He had nowhere to hide without cowering behind a statue.

He considered it, but by the time he went to move, it was too late. With a large, obnoxious grin, Thor came lumbering toward him, arms spread wide. Loki cringed and took a step to the side as Thor approached him, but was caught anyway. His voice was booming, echoing through the abandoned room. "Brother! It is good to see you! Yes, very good, indeed!" He crushed Loki to his chest, who attempted to squirm out of the embrace, to no avail. He was only able to speak when he was finally released. "Thor, for the millionth time, I am NOT your bro-. " He was cut off as Thor patted him heartily on the back. "But what are you doing here, Loki? Surely, your sentence hasn't been commuted. Father would never allow it!"

Loki looked up at Thor warily. "Um, no… I – I escaped. You'd have done it, too. Helheim is atrocious." Thor took a long moment to consider what Loki had said. The longer he waited, the more anxious he got. Though Thor loved him incessantly, he was always one to uphold the law. The Thunderer was supposed to step into Odin's throne one day, after all. After what felt like an eternity, Thor turned to him and grinned. It was that big, dumb span of pearly whites; still so affectionate after eons of dealing with Loki's wrongdoing. Suddenly, he was crushed in another great hug from The Thunderer. "Brother, I'm glad that you've come here." He set him down and continued to talk, holding his brother by the shoulders. "I don't care what you say, you are my brother, and I will always be glad to have you near."

Loki stared at him for a full minute, feeling his big, heavy hands wrapped around his upper arms. His eyes got wide and brimmed with tears. "You mean you're not going to haul me off?" As Thor shook his head, still grinning like an idiot, Loki finally returned his hug. He clung to him for dear life, quietly crying into his armor. The sudden burst of emotion from the usually cold Loki caught Thor off guard for a moment. "Shhh, brother. What is the matter? Do you _want_me to take you in?" He lightly rubbed his little brother's back, trying to soothe him.

"No, no!" Loki sniffed and stepped back, wiping the tears from his face and eyes. He realized he was shaking. "They'll kill me this time, Thor. They will." He took a deep breath to steady himself, shocked that he had broken down like that. It was true, though. During his 'trial' in Asgard, if you could call it that, Odin had made it clear that Loki had used up his last chance, even though he hadn't had control of himself. "You know that; you were at my sentencing." His eyes were still wide as he looked up at Thor. They suddenly burned, as did his face from sudden embarrassment at his emotional outburst. It wasn't like him, even during times of high stress. He was just so relieved that Thor wasn't turning him over to S.H.I.E.L.D., or worse, to Odin. He looked around, suddenly feeling vulnerable. "We should go. I'll see if I can get back into the house." Without another word, he headed toward the door; Thor following close behind.


	3. Chapter 3

The hurried return trip home seemed to take longer than the leisurely stroll Loki had taken earlier in the day. By the time they reached the house, it was late afternoon. He rushed up the footpath to the front porch, only to slam into an invisible wall before he was halfway there. For a moment, he laid on the ground tight jawed in frustration. Thor looked at him with eyes wide in cautious amusement and helped him up. "You're supposed to live here, and you can't go in. Earth is certainly stranger than I thought." He chuckled lightly as Loki brushed himself off. "Well, I was tossed out for the day. The mortal I live with thought I needed to get out and socialize. That did a whole lot of good." He gestured to Thor exasperatedly, not quite believing that his showing up was a coincidence.

"Brother, if my presence here causes you strife, I can go…" Thor looked at him with a furrowed brow, hurt lying just beneath the surface. Loki looked at him almost coldly. Despite the show of emotion at the museum, he was, in fact, very unhappy to see him. His life would be so much simpler if he could just get away from everything. He knew he never would. The God of Mischief could never give up his title, never leave the Nordic pantheon. He took a deep breath and sat, leaning against the force field and gazing into the street. "Why are you here, Thor? I can't help but to think you've been tracking me." On the way back, Loki had thought of a million different reasons he would have shown up, and a million reasons why he would want to find him. Although he was always exuberant, Thor's display at the museum was a bit much, even for him.

"Honestly, brother," He paused and eyed Loki cautiously. "Father sent me. He knows of your escape from Helheim and wants you home. I'm sorry I didn't tell you." The word 'home' held no meaning for Loki anymore. After a moment, he looked up at the brute with a tight face. "So you _are_ here to cart me off. Why wouldn't you have done it straight away? It could have saved both of us a lot of trouble." He could have avoided the display earlier, avoided the paranoia, and avoided nearly breaking his nose when he slammed into the barrier. Thor joined him on the ground, moving much more gingerly than he usually did. He put his arm around Loki's shoulders. "I'm not taking you anywhere. You will stay here, away from father, away from S.H.I.E.L.D. You will be safe." Loki cringed away from his embrace and glared at him; his voice held a bitter edge when he spoke. "Then why come at all? Does it amuse you to see me proven a coward? That's all you see Jotuns as, anyway, isn't that right, Thor?"

As Loki edged away, Thor just pulled him closer. "Because, as I've told you a thousand times: I don't care what you are. You're my brother, and I love you. And you're no coward. Foolish, definitely; but cowardly? Never." Loki pursed his lips and set his jaw, trying to stay angry with Thor. He knew it was just arrogance and the inability to comprehend that anyone wouldn't whole-heartedly love The Thunderer. Despite that, his cold demeanor was on the brink of melting, just a bit. The moment felt like one of the better memories from their childhood.

Thor leaned into him, giving him a whole-body nudge. "Do you remember that time I saved you from the bilgesnipe that tried to trample you when we were young?" He gave a loud chuckle and another dumb grin as he recalled the memory. Loki remembered it very differently. "No, but I do remember you running in terror as one trampled our tree house." A silent chuckle escaped him. Thor just raised his eyebrows at him, still smiling, as he went on. "How about the time that Hogun, Fandral, and Volstagg had tied you upside-down to that same tree. Who came to your rescue?" Loki couldn't tell if he was recalling fond memories, trying to get on his good side by playing the savior, or just basking in his own glory once again. He gave Thor a sideways glance. "After three days! Did you know that bilgesnipe enjoy licking things hanging from trees? It took me a week to get the stench off." He shuddered and made a sour face.

Thor paused for a moment, apparently thinking hard. Loki thought it looked painful. "Okay, what about picking herbs from mother's garden? And getting scolded when she hadn't told us to do so. Or making a mess when we tried to help her bake?" He chuckled quietly. "She would always get so frustrated, even though a flour fight was always inevitable." Loki heaved a heavy sigh. Frigga was his soft spot. Even though she had gone along with the lie that was his life, he could hold no ill-will against her. She was his mom, after all. He smiled and shook his head as he spoke; his voice was soft. "She was always so patient with us, no matter how unruly we got. Even with her frustration. I don't recall her yelling at us even once." He paused for a moment, now gazing at the tips of his shoes. "I miss her." Thor pulled him closer to his side, practically squishing him. "Oh, I remember her yelling at me enough for the both of us." He paused as well. "I know you miss her, brother. She missed you as well, so much. You should come home. I can convince father to give you another chance." Loki unconsciously leaned against him and sighed again. "Asgard isn't my home, Thor. I don't have one, and may never have one again. I've accepted that; don't worry about me."

They sat there for a long while in silence. Thor rested his head against Loki's as he used while comforting him when they were children. "Always the martyr, Loki. I do worry. I worry about you every day." He perked up slightly, never having been one to settle for dreary conversation. "Do you remember sparring with sticks? That was always fun. Why did we ever stop doing that?" Loki shrugged under the heavy weight of Thor's arm. "I do… I also remember the first time I got Mjolnir to the face. I think that's when it stopped being fun. You were the chosen one, and all I had were my books. The look on your face when I started hitting you with fireballs was pretty funny, though." The corner of his mouth twitched with a small smile. The only magic Thor was capable of had to do with his title; Thunderer. Loki had acquired a mass of knowledge and powers, and was still learning, even after centuries of practice. It was what he was most proud of. He'd choose having brains over brawn any day of the week.

Thor grumbled at the memory of the fireballs. "I just wasn't ready for it! Though, I'll admit, throwing Mjolnir at you was a low blow." What? The Mighty Thor was admitting to a mistake? "Huh… Has S.H.I.E.L.D. brainwashed you?" He didn't mean it as an insult and knew Thor wouldn't take it that way; not from him. The only time the big oaf realized he was being insulted was when it came from an enemy, and he never considered Loki as one. Thor grumbled again at the comment. "Hey, watch it, little brother. I'm still bigger than you are." He chuckled lightly and patted Loki's arm. "If you're not careful, you're likely to wind up dangling from a tree again!"

Loki laughed quietly. He'd never thought that the two of them could share a quiet moment together; not after everything that happened. He was surprised at himself for accepting the closeness and the affection. It felt nice to finally feel like someone was protecting him. He suddenly didn't feel quite so alone. Sure, he wished that it hadn't been Thor who found him, but beggars can't be choosers. After not sleeping well for who knows how long, and the stress from running into Thor, Loki found himself exhausted before the sun even went down. They were once again silent, each lost in his own thoughts. It didn't take long for Loki to drift to sleep in his big brother's embrace.


	4. Chapter 4

When Loki awoke, he found himself in his own bed, wrapped far too tightly in the blankets. Thor had carried him to bed and tucked him in, once again playing at childhood memories. No light came in through the window, not even moonlight. He laid there for several minutes, trying not to think, and failed miserably at it. While he was incredibly lonely despite his mortal company, he still wasn't overly fond of the idea of having Thor around. Deep down, he did love the brute, but he still cast that long, dark shadow Loki had finally managed to escape. The last thing he wanted was to succumb to it again. He tried to think of how to get him to leave without being mean about it. He didn't actually care about Thor's feelings, but the guy wasn't good at hiding when he was hurt. He could imagine him returning to the tower, weeping, and explaining in full detail why he was upset. Then Loki would have all of S.H.I.E.L.D. bearing down on him again. That would be much worse than just dealing with the Thunderer again.

A while later, Loki managed to detangle himself from the cocoon Thor had placed him in. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. When he looked down, he saw that Thor had even put him in pajamas. The sleeves were too short, as were the pants, and there were little Mjolnirs printed everywhere. Definitely Thor's doing. He got up and changed into his own – just a pair of plaid cotton pants – before going downstairs. He padded into the living room, not having heard any voices. He checked the clock; five in the morning. He must really have been exhausted. He stood there for a second, listening, wondering if Ivy and Thor were still asleep. No, he'd have heard Thor's snoring. He listened for a moment longer, finally picking up on the soft voices coming from the kitchen. He quietly made his way to the archway between the rooms and listened, leaning against the wall in the living room so they couldn't see him. He heard Ivy's voice first.

"He spends most of his time sleeping or actively trying not to. When he does, I can hear him crying from his dreams. You wouldn't think the Trickster God would be so sensitive." Of course they were discussing him. Thor was so nosey. His voice came as a whisper; probably the quietest he'd been in his life. "My brother puts on a strong face, but really, everything that happens touches him deeply. Give him something to care about, and he will fight for it fiercely." Thor chuckled almost silently. "You should have seen when he tried to adopt an orphaned bilgesnipe. He threw a fit and tried to battle our father over it when he was denied." The sound of Ivy's chuckle joined Thor's. After they settled down, she sighed. "I can only imagine. He hasn't been here long, but I worry about him sometimes. He should be out wreaking havoc, but he mostly just wallows. I understand why he doesn't get out much, though. After what happened in New York, almost everyone would be able to recognize him." Loki heard a loud thunk as Thor set his coffee mug down on the table. "The sort of 'havoc' he causes has no place on Earth. Loki may seem gentle and meek now, but don't underestimate him. Without the Avengers around, he could singlehandedly destroy this realm and many others. He'd at least destroy many, many lives. I don't think you understand the danger you've put yourself into by harboring him, Ivy."

At that, Loki slid to face them, now leaning on the inside of the archway itself. He crossed his arms as he spoke to Thor, his voice dripping with resentment. "So that's how it is, _brother_." He nearly spat the word. "If I'm nothing but a time-bomb waiting to explode and destroy life as we know it, why am I allowed to walk free? The All-Father knows where I am, and I'm sure your little gaggle of 'super heroes' does too, now. Why don't you just haul me off and punish me like you clearly want to, Thor?" It took all of Loki's willpower to stay put and not get in his face. He knew it would only prove him right. So, Loki has some anger management issues, but so do a lot of people. Thor still worked with Banner, after all. "The humans destroy themselves; I don't have to lift a finger." As he spoke, he lifted his hand and gestured toward Thor, flexing his index finger for emphasis.

Thor looked at him sadly as Ivy just sat back and watched the two go at it. "Brother, you know I didn't mean it that way." He paused, choosing his words wisely. "You're the God of Chaos, you know it just follows you around. You cause it whether you mean to or not." Not wise words at all. Loki had to work to contain his sudden anger. His voice bordered on a shout. "Does it follow me around, or do I create it? Which is it? And all the times I saved your ass just mean nothing now? I constantly put my life on the line when one of you bumbling idiots would manage to lose something or get yourselves in trouble." He didn't pause to let Thor speak as he opened his mouth to do so. "I even mated with a horse to save Freyja from marrying that builder! Do you know what bearing an eight-legged horse will do to a man's head? But of course, my good deeds are far out shadowed by my 'wrong doing'." Loki took a step toward Thor. "By what I was forced into doing. After I was chained up with my son's entrails under a giant poison spitting snake for centuries, you still don't understand why I do what I do?" He was seething, barely containing his rage now. This was not the way to wake up in the morning.

Thor hadn't moved from his chair at the table as Loki had moved closer to him. "You speak of punishment as if it was a personal attack. All of that is long past. Just move on and come home with me." Loki saw Ivy stir uncomfortably in her chair from the corner of his eye. Before now, she hadn't seen this side of him up close and personal. He took a deep breath before he spoke, forcing his words to come out calmly. "Why, so you can babysit me? So you can know exactly when I'm 'causing chaos'? That never worked out well, even when I still lived in Odin's palace. I don't need a keeper, Thor, I'm a big boy and can handle myself." Thor didn't have to put much effort into feigning calmness. He'd never been able to get too angry with Loki, no matter what he did. He always ended up more hurt than anything. As Thor spoke, Loki turned to the cabinets, getting himself tea as a distraction. He didn't want a fight to break out in Ivy's kitchen. "Tell that to the Chitauri. You handled yourself very well in that situation. And the Jotuns. Was that you handling yourself as well? Oh, yes, the would-be king knows just how to handle himself in any given situation. Open your eyes, Loki. You're a-" Loki cut him off mid sentence, turning to him as rage once again flooded him. "I was a king! The rightful king of Asgard, and the rightful king of Midgard! Oh, _you_ open _your_ eyes, Thor. The throne _will_ be mine. Just you wait and see. Before long, you will all kneel."

He hadn't realized he had taken a defensive stance. Thor stood and eyed him cautiously as he spoke in turn. "So any Realm will do? The throne will never suit you, no matter the Realm, brother. You continue to look down on everyone, but you fail to see your shortcomings. You are no better than anyone else, human or Asgardian. Once you see that, yes, you may have a chance, but a slim one at that." Thor had obviously hit a nerve with Loki. He gripped a mug tightly, resisting the urge to chuck it at Thor's head. "A ruler is always above his peasants, Odinson. The throne may as well be a defective stool if you think otherwise. And you say it suits _me_ ill. A lot of good you're doing here." As the tension in the room continued to build, Ivy quietly stood and slipped through the sliding door behind Thor. She could tell a fight was about to break out and could only hope that they would be kind enough to fix what was surely to be extensive damage.


End file.
